Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has expressed significant concerns about the Red Devils' chances in the upcoming UEFA Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, claiming he has a "sickly feeling" about the match.
Speaking on The Overlap, Neville made the stark assessment that Bruno Fernandes is the only Manchester United player who would get into Tottenham's starting XI based on current form and quality.
"I've genuinely got a sickly feeling about this game next Wednesday," Neville said. "The biggest reason is when I look at every single player in the Tottenham team, when you look at Kulusevski, Son, Brennan Johnson, Solanke, if Maddison was there, Bissouma and Sarr, Romero and Van de Ven, Porro and Udogie, when you look at those players, like-for-like with United's, only Bruno Fernandes would get into Tottenham's first XI."
The Europa League final is scheduled for Wednesday, May 21, in Bilbao, Spain. Both teams secured their places after Manchester United eliminated Athletic Bilbao and Tottenham overcame Bodo/Glimt in their respective semifinal ties.
Neville's player-by-player comparison highlighted what he perceives as a significant quality gap between the squads. "Honestly, Udogie, Porro, Van de Ven, Romero, Bissouma, Sarr, Johnson, Maddison, Solanke, Kulusevski, Son, I would choose every single player of Tottenham's over Manchester United's next Wednesday. That's my worry," he explained.
The former England international did acknowledge one position where he sees the teams as more evenly matched. "The goalkeeper is a 50-50 split because I don't like Vicario and I'm not a fan of Onana," Neville added.
This forthcoming final represents a significant opportunity for both clubs to secure European silverware and Champions League qualification for next season, adding considerable importance to the fixture beyond the traditional rivalry between the two Premier League sides.